Queen Camilla throws her support behind victim in one of Europe’s most shocking true-crime cases

Warning: The article contains details of sexual abuse. Please proceed with care.

Queen Camilla, a dedicated advocate for domestic abuse survivors, has personally reached out to 72-year-old French woman Gisèle Pelicot, offering her support and praise, a Buckingham Palace aide has confirmed.

Last year, in a harrowing case in France that captured global attention, Gisèle’s husband, Dominique Pelicot — and 50 other men — stood trial for a series of brutal and degrading acts inflicted upon Gisèle between 2011 and 2020. Gisèle chose to forgo her legal right to anonymity, confronting her abusers with unwavering strength and dignity in a remarkable act of courage.

In the said period, Dominique secretly drugged his wife and subjected her to sexual abuse. In a further act of cruelty, he used a website to invite other men into their home to commit vile deeds against Gisèle while she was heavily sedated. During these years, she experienced memory lapses, which she feared were early signs of Alzheimer’s or a neurological condition. However, medical evaluations showed negative results.

Gisèle only uncovered the abuse she had endured after her husband’s arrest in 2020 for photographing women under their skirts in a supermarket. During the investigation, authorities discovered disturbing evidence in Dominique’s computer — thousands of photos and video footage showing Gisèle being sexually abused while unconscious. Gisèle believed she had a close relationship with her husband, and she was devastated to learn of his betrayal and the monstrous acts he had orchestrated, including inviting strangers to participate in the assaults. “I was sacrificed on the altar of vice,” she said during the trial. Dominique was given the maximum sentence of 20 years, while 46 other men were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 3 to 15 years for crimes including rape, attempted rape, and sexual assault.

Camilla reportedly sent Gisèle a letter, wanting to give recognition to the woman who bravely faced her abusers with “extraordinary dignity and courage.” Although the exact contents of the letter were not revealed, the palace aide told Newsweek that the queen was “tremendously affected” by Gisèle’s case, which highlighted a big problem in society. “So, as a long-term supporter of survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, the queen wrote to Madame Pelicot privately. It was very much her instigation and determination to write to express support from the highest level,” the aide said.

It has long been Camilla’s mission to put a stop to domestic violence, and in the 2024 documentary Her Majesty The Queen: Behind Closed Doors, the public had a glimpse into her dedicated efforts. Camilla compassionately engages with survivors, visits sexual assault centers, and unites policymakers, advocates, and experts to strengthen support systems and do meaningful change. “Each of us has a part to play, to do everything in our power to raise awareness, to ‘reach in’ to others, and to support, and be inspired by, those very brave survivors,” Camilla said in 2020.

Camilla’s steadfast commitment to survivors like Gisèle is more than a royal initiative. Rather, it’s a personal crusade for change. She continues to shine a light on the dark realities of abuse, and although she knows the path to eradicating domestic abuse is long, her dedication to the cause is resolute.